Slain federal judge John Roll was at the center of Arizona's immigration debate

By
Jerry Markon

John. M. Roll, the federal judge killed Saturday in the Tucson shooting that critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), has been at the center of the state's complicated political battle over immigration.

In February 2009, Roll received hundreds of threats after he allowed a lawsuit filed by illegal immigrants against a rancher to go forward. "They cursed him out, threatened to kill his family, said they'd come and take care of him. They really wanted him dead," a law enforcement official told The Washington Post in May 2009.

Threats against federal judges and prosecutors nationwide have been soaring in recent years. There is no indication he was the gunman's target, and witness accounts describe the shooter as firing at Giffords first.

U.S. marshals put Roll, who was appointed to the federal bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1991, under 24-hour protection for about a month. They guarded his home in a secluded area just outside Tucson, screening his mail and escorting him to court, to the gym and even to Mass.

Roll told the Post in May 2009 that "any judge who goes through this knows it's a stressful situation" and that he and his family were grateful for the protection.

More than a year after the threats against Roll, Arizona passed what is considered the nation's toughest immigration law, triggering a fierce national debate over illegal immigration and a lawsuit against the state by the Justice Department.

Roll, a Pennsylvania native, has served as the chief U.S. District Judge in Arizona since 2006. He is a former Arizona state appeals court judge and a former assistant U.S. attorney in Arizona, focusing on prosecuting drug cases, according to his judicial biography on Judgepedia.

Have you seen the shooter's favorite video on his YouTube account titled: “America: Your Last Memory in a Terrorist Country”? It looks to be self produced. It's hardly the work of a Tea Partier or Conservative. Here it is if you can stomach it:http://www.youtube.com/user/Classitup10#p/a/f/0/3L1lsLU-kUw

I want to know what a federal judge was doing at a political rally. It's no reason for him to be shot and killed, but it seems totally inappropriate.

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My gosh! What is wrong with people from opposite parties being friendly to one another? Why can't people have different opinions or be members of a different party and still share a friendship or respect for each other. It is my understanding that the judge just had stopped to say hello to Mrs. Giffords. Is that so inappropriate? Would it be more appropriate if we shun or shoot everyone who has different opinions, or is a member of the opposite party?

I want to know what a federal judge was doing at a political rally. It's no reason for him to be shot and killed, but it seems totally inappropriate.

*********************

My gosh! What is wrong with people from opposite parties being friendly to one another? Why can't people have different opinions or be members of a different party and still share a friendship or respect for each other. It is my understanding that the judge just had stopped to say hello to Mrs. Giffords. Is that so inappropriate? Would it be more appropriate if we shun or shoot everyone who has different opinions, or is a member of the opposite party?

If you expose yourself to other news outlets (FoxNews) you would learn a lot.

The Judge attended the rally to thank the congresswoman for her support in getting him re-elected to the bench. By the way the congresswoman is a democrat and the judge is republican. This fact should really confuse all liberals.

My condolences go out to the families of the victims and my prayers to the congresswoman and all involved.

Posted by: frankn1 | January 8, 2011 8:58 PM | Report abuse
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Frankn1, federal judges serve lifetime appointments to the bench; they do not run for reelection.

I'm not sure what they're teaching you over there at Fox, but you certainly aren't learning facts, or the Constitution, for that matter. Otherwise, you would know that the Constitution mandates lifetime tenure for federal judges, see Article III, sec. 1. I hope for your sake (and ours), YOU'RE getting your news elsewhere. But this you really should have learnt in high school civics if not before.

robosouth wrote: Again I ask, who was the rancher?
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The guy's name is Roger Barnett. He was specifically targeted by a Hispanic activist group for prosecution. The poor guy has turned over 12,000 illegals to the Border Patrol. Those are the numbers he has caught on his property. Imagine the scale of the problem if one guy has done this much work. Here is the link to the article about the events that happened. It's an eye opener as to the scale of the problem.

When rhetoric becomes action. We saw it with Hitler's Germany. Sarah Palin's words of "Republicans don't retreat, we reload" can send a message to society's fringe. The governor of Arizona and John McCain have blood on their hands tonight. That woman is a wacko but I expected better from John McCain who sold his principles, including inviting Palin to Arizona to spread hate, fear, xenophobia and unrest among the people of Arizona in order to win an election.

As an American and a registered Republican, we need to put a stop to Palin and her gang's rhetoric. Fox broadcasting should be put out of business once and for all or hire professional, educated journalists. People like Glen Beck and his gang incite this type of behavior. Look into Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's background and compare it to Hitler's... see the similarities regarding family, academics, etc....

I am so disappointed in my party. With regards to the Tea Party Movement, the members are nothing but racist Nazis disguised as a legitimate movement. RHETORIC HAS TURNED INTO ACTION. May God help us all.

Political rhetoric is commonly picked up by the mentally unstable--isn't the point of rhetoric to try to influence? By creating a climate of hate and extremism and paranoia, words can create a climate and that climate can incite someone to act. Aren't people paid a great deal of money for this in polital campaigns, marketing, public relations and advertising? You absolutely can create a climate which influences the actions of someone suceptible to the mood--he can have all the personal reasons he wants--he was reacting to a climate and a mood.

Occasional thoughts this is what happens when you have dangerous rhetoric form uneducated zealots like Sara Palin and Angle of Arizona. It incites nutcases.

Putting cross hairs on our representative is wrong. Palin and her racist tea party gang needs to be ignored or stopped. Educated and enlightened Americans need to wake up and see this group for who they are.

That nut case who keeps asking why a federal judge was at this meeting needs to ask why Supreme Court judges Scalia and Thomas keep attending all these Conservative republican fundraisers. They occupy the highest court in the land and have no right doing so.

John McCain should be tried and sentenced for unleashing Sara Palin on the American society. They both have blood on their hands today. How will they be able to look at the deceased families and sleep at nights. MAY GOD HELP US ALL.

robosouth wrote: Again I ask, who was the rancher?
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The guy's name is Roger Barnett. He was specifically targeted by a Hispanic activist group for prosecution. The poor guy has turned over 12,000 illegals to the Border Patrol. Those are the numbers he has caught on his property. Imagine the scale of the problem if one guy has done this much work. Here is the link to the article about the events that happened. It's an eye opener as to the scale of the problem.

If you expose yourself to other news outlets (FoxNews) you would learn a lot.

The Judge attended the rally to thank the congresswoman for her support in getting him re-elected to the bench. By the way the congresswoman is a democrat and the judge is republican. This fact should really confuse all liberals.

My condolences go out to the families of the victims and my prayers to the congresswoman and all involved.

Posted by: frankn1 | January 8, 2011 8:58 PM | Report abuse
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Everybody knows Foxnoise is not a news outlet and its viewers are among the most misinformed. Way to take a shot at liberals and them send condolences in one blurb- VERY sincere, VERY Foxesk. Kind of like slapping someone and then saying 'excuse me', Eh?

Everybody knows Foxnoise is not a news outlet and its viewers are among the most misinformed. Way to take a shot at liberals and them send condolences in one blurb- VERY sincere, VERY Foxesk. Kind of like slapping someone and then saying 'excuse me', Eh?

When rhetoric becomes action. We saw it with Hitler's Germany. Sarah Palin's words of "Republicans don't retreat, we reload" can send a message to society's fringe. The governor of Arizona and John McCain have blood on their hands tonight. That woman is a wacko but I expected better from John McCain who sold his principles, including inviting Palin to Arizona to spread hate, fear, xenophobia and unrest among the people of Arizona in order to win an election.

As an American and a registered Republican, we need to put a stop to Palin and her gang's rhetoric. Fox broadcasting should be put out of business once and for all or hire professional, educated journalists. People like Glen Beck and his gang incite this type of behavior. Look into Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's background and compare it to Hitler's... see the similarities regarding family, academics, etc....

I am so disappointed in my party. With regards to the Tea Party Movement, the members are nothing but racist Nazis disguised as a legitimate movement. RHETORIC HAS TURNED INTO ACTION. May God help us all.

If you expose yourself to other news outlets (FoxNews) you would learn a lot.

The Judge attended the rally to thank the congresswoman for her support in getting him re-elected to the bench. By the way the congresswoman is a democrat and the judge is republican. This fact should really confuse all liberals.

My condolences go out to the families of the victims and my prayers to the congresswoman and all involved.

If you expose yourself to other news outlets (FoxNews) you would learn a lot.

The Judge attended the rally to thank the congresswoman for her support in getting him re-elected to the bench. By the way the congresswoman is a democrat and the judge is republican. This fact should really confuse all liberals.

My condolences go out to the families of the victims and my prayers to the congresswoman and all involved.

If a rancher wanted a judge dead for prosecuting him, not unlike this situation, he could hide the intent by having some other high profile person, say a legislator, shot at the same time. This would disguise the judge's death as colateral damage instead of the target. Again I ask, who was the rancher?

Fox News did ask the question of Race and made a point of noting that the shooter was a U.S. citizen and caucasian. The shooter was mentally ill. Unfortunately, the 1st amendment and various organizations prevent proactive treatment of mentally ill persons of legal age. They must commit a crime before action is taken to control their behavior against their will.

Fox News did ask the question of Race and made a point of noting that the shooter was a U.S. citizen and caucasian. The shooter was mentally ill. Unfortunately, the 1st amendment and various organizations prevent proactive treatment of mentally ill persons of legal age. They must commit a crime before action is taken to control their behavior against their will.

I want to know what a federal judge was doing at a political rally. It's no reason for him to be shot and killed, but it seems totally inappropriate.

Posted by: david_hurt | January 8, 2011 5:38 PM | Report abuse

David, I agree.

Also, Republican or Democrat hopefully the American people will be wise and not buy into the media's suttle spin that this nutjob's actions represents a party's agenda.

Posted by: rodskin | January 8, 2011 8:34 PM

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It was not a political rally.

Just about every single one of the 435 Members of the US House of Representatives schedules these types of events when they are back home in their congressional districts.

Members of Congress want to meet their constituents and hear from them while many of the constituents will have questions about policyu or requests for some kind of help with the various agencies in the federal government.

Want to know what the two saddest aspects of today's shooting was? Truly the nine year old girl, and her family. Secondly, how in reviewing these comments, how is it that the AZ immigration law SB1070 had anything to do with the shootings? Hello McFly, it was a WHITE, US CITIZEN with a serious problem against government and referenced himself as a 'terrorist' (see that strange utube video). Where in his video did he mention one thing about race, immigration, even a taco?? Nowhere!! Face reality-KID WITH GUN WAS A NUT-JOB ALL ON HIS OWN WITH HIS OWN ISSUE AND AGENDA!!! I guarantee that he didn't give two hoots about Mexicans legal or illegal and per his 'targets' only one was a congresswoman really, the rest he didn't seem to care!!
For the love of peace, when will this country stop manipulating the fact that we have a grip of sick people that will do sick things and that NOT EVERYTYHING IS RACIALLY OR ETHNICALLY FUELED??

jjedif, you post is disgusting. You don't know any of this, and what you commented is the reason for problems in this country. PEOPLE JUST MAKE UP STUFF THAT FITS THEIR POSITIONS! I frankly think you should be investigated!

one murdered rancher and the myth of a decapitated body caused arizona to go crazy with immigration legislation-i wonder what kind of legislation they will pass to regulate 22 year old native born anglos who kill gop judges and wound democratic congresswomen. i guess rush and the foxers will remind us to judge this case on an individual basis, the opposite of what they advocated after the murdered rancher and mythological decapitated body.

The dangers Federal judges face are very real but the target was clearly the Congresswoman. It is horrific that we have lost, in this process, a fine judge. Perhaps someone might cite his more notable decisions apart from immigration related matters.

I'm a liberal and all, but why would you allow a lawsuit by clearly illegal immigrants against a citizen of the U.S.? Shouldn't *they* have been prosecuted? And I don't know what they were suing about, but if they were being shot at by said rancher, I kind of understand. Stay off property that doesn't belong to you and stay in Mexico until you get the proper papers.

Mental Health should be a priority of cities, States, and the Federal Governments. Unfortunately, most municipalities have cut their mental health budgets or closed their mental health departments. Mental health wasn't mentioned in Obama's healthcare plan. Until Congress and the President focus on mental health, horrific tragedies like this will continue to happen in the United States. Last week at a local hospital in Montgomery County, Maryland, a hospital worker alleged to have stabbed his supervisor 70 times because alleged to have gotten a bad review. This individual must have snapped to stab someone 70 times.

Fellow citizens, MENTAL HEALTH should be a priority for the federal and State governments.

Posted by: RockCreekPark

~~~~

Ronnie Reagan had many Mental Health Facilities and Day Treatment Facilities closed down back in the 80's.

I can remember walking around in D.C., and running into nothing but Homeless people and many of these people were the same ones Ronnie kicked out on the streets when he had the Mental Health facilities shut down.

You can be a terrorist and a U.S. citizen. Is there really a difference between a radical Iraqi cleric and Sarah Palin. They both call for the undermining of the U.S. Government. Its one thing to vote against or oppose something. If she wants someone targeted why doesn't she do it herself. That's leading by example. But is she really a leader or just an "inciter."

We know who incited this. Then they sheepishly altered their web site. People don't just go to the grocery store to shoot people. Republicans are in lock step with whatever their leaders say. There are no moderate republicans. Didn't one of their recent leaders say "you are either with me or against me."

jd5024 wrote "See the shooter's video? The guy is a certified nut case. Anyone who seriously thinks Sarah Palin caused this tragedy should post their own video...it'll make just as much sense."

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Sarah Palin doesn't make any sense BUT she does love to talk about killing, and reloading and targeting dems.

I don't know that Sarah caused it but she has never done anything to speak out AGAINST such acts. I'm sure she will, just like she pulled the target from Gifford's district off the web. As if that means it never existed.

The Judge may have been buying groceries and coming out of the grocery store...the second amendment has been interpreted by the NRA and many Americans who buy guns become criminals after they get the gun! Oh, beautiful for spacious skies.....

Mental Health should be a priority of cities, States, and the Federal Governments. Unfortunately, most municipalities have cut their mental health budgets or closed their mental health departments. Mental health wasn't mentioned in Obama's healthcare plan. Until Congress and the President focus on mental health, horrific tragedies like this will continue to happen in the United States. Last week at a local hospital in Montgomery County, Maryland, a hospital worker alleged to have stabbed his supervisor 70 times because alleged to have gotten a bad review. This individual must have snapped to stab someone 70 times.

Fellow citizens, MENTAL HEALTH should be a priority for the federal and State governments.

The Republican congress keeps turning down Obama judges that are desperately needed in the Southwest to help enforce Immigration laws. I am sure the late Honorable Roll was going to ask that congress fund more judges for Arizona. Recently, the late Honorable Roll was requesting an extension of the time to prosecute crimintals as Arizona's Federal Docket is ready to break at the seems. His death may finally bring more justice to "the old West."

This is a tragic day for Arizonans and Americans alike. Judge Roll, according to reports, was merely being neighborly by attending this event. Being a jusge doen't disqualify you to be a citizen or friend to public figures. We should instead be questioning why Russell Pearce and his ilk are determined to turn Arizona back into the Gunfight at the OK Corral.

Suggested questions for reporters to ask:
Ms Palin, do believe that the political rhetoric of the 2010 campaign, phrases such as "don't retreat--reload" and "Second Amendment solutions" could have possibly played a role in inciting the shootings today in Arizona?

If not, then why was the website takeoutthe20.com scrubbed today shortly after the shooting and replaced with a link to SarahPAC.com? If the rhetoric and images of the campaign and on the website weren't incitement, then why was a scrubbing deemed necessary?

Do you stand behind the words and images on the website?

If so, then why was the site scrubbed? Have you changed your mind about the use of violent rhetoric and images in political discourse? If you have changed your mind, did today's shooting play a role in changing it?

C'mon, reporters, step up. Or put the same questions to the RNC, or other party leaders and members, substituting "2008 GOP veep nominee" or "half-term GOP governor of Alaska" or both.

This is a horrible thing, but it's likely completely unrelated to anything political. Seriously.

Look at this guy's video's on youtube. He shows all the marks of being severely mentally ill, likely schizophrenic. I don't think this shooter had any conception of, or interest in, things like health care, or Sarah Palin, or Barack Obama, or immigration, or any of the other current political-debate hobby-horses.

This man was living in a world entirely of his own disordered imagining, and it's likely that whatever role Rep. Giffords played in his internal fantasy life was completely removed from the political positions she stood for in real life, just as it's likely that this guy never even looked at or cared about Sarah Palin's site.

Let me repeat: this was not a political assassination in the sense that everyone here seems to think it is. It is the isolated act of a severely ill individual. Terrible, deeply tragic, but not a comment on right-wing/left-wing politics. And everyone who is trying to make it into that, both left-wingers and right-wingers, is probably going to look really silly in the morning.

Take a deep breath, wait for the facts, and for now let's all just mourn the loss of human life and human potential that this day represents - mainly that of the shooting victims, but also of the shooter himself, who represents a life lost to the terrible scourge of mental illness.

"Maybe if the judge had thought about the inappropriateness of him attending a political rally he would still be alive."

This type of argument is among the worst put forth by people when these things happen. The implication being that somehow Mr Roll deserved what happened to him. That by doing something "inappropriate" he died and if he'd been more "appropriate" he would not have died.

The lack of thoughtfulness and lack of shame by some people these days continues to amaze me - though I don't know why. This is particularly true given the complete lack of real knowledge as to why Mr. Roll was there.

Instead of offering condolences to his family and kind thoughts to his friends there is this need to blame or find fault with this human being whose life was cut short. How sad some people are.

Here's a similar argument for you, "Maybe if our society thought of the inappropriateness of allowing civilians to buy and own automatic weapons John Roll would be alive today."

I would hope that federal judges don't need to attend "town hall meetings" to get any information they need, either in their professional or personal capacities. It's one thing for the Supreme Court to attend the State of the Union addresses (not all justices do and Chief Justice Roberts has suggested that maybe the Court shouldn't), but what good can come from a federal judge attending an event like this? It looks bad and stinks. If a judge can't see that maybe he shouldn't be a judge.

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